Day Five in Nagoya. Oshoumi, in Juryo, is kyujo and will undergo surgery. Tough break for the kid, as that will likely lead to his demotion from Juryo at Aki.
In Makushita, Tanji (2-1) suffered his first loss, to Nabatame (3-0). Tanji remains in the driver’s seat for Juryo promotion but Nabatame is building his own case. Hakuyozan’s and even Oshoumi’s positions will be up for grabs but it’s obviously way too early to know how many other Juryo slots will be available. Asahifuji will battle Fujisodai tomorrow as he tries to make his own case for promotion via yusho. Tanji will move up and fight Nishikigi. Trial by fire.
Shirokuma and Arashifuji continue winning and remain undefeated at 5-0. Shirokuma fights Meisei tomorrow and Arashifuji will take on Hatsuyama. Enho lost to Nishikigi and Meisei fell to Tamawashi as the schedulers pitted our favorite veterans against themselves. Enho will face Kagayaki and Tamawashi will fight Kitanowaka.
Makuuchi Action
Daiseizan (2-3) defeated Onokatsu (0-5). Onokatsu used his hidari-yotsu to push Daiseizan to the bales but Daiseizan pivoted at the edge and toppled Onokatsu over the tawara. Yoritaoshi.
Shishi (5-0) defeated Ryuden (1-4). Ryuden visited from Juryo and disrupted Shishi’s desired attack. Ryuden’s left hand ottsuke blocked Shishi from getting the grip he wanted. So, Shishi had to adapt. He pulled and dragged Ryuden to the bales, then toppled him over the edge. Sukuinage.
Kinbozan (3-2) defeated Asakoryu (2-3). Asakoryu gave up a double-inside grip to Kinbozan. That was a huge mistake. Kinbozan immediately bulldozed through the dohyo and forced Asakoryu back over the edge. Yorikiri.
Takerufuji (4-1) defeated Kazuma (2-3). Takerufuji twisted as the pair advanced toward the edge and Kazuma’s leg buckled, taking a knee. It didn’t seem to be an injury issue, rather a footwork issue. Sukuinage.
Abi (3-2) defeated Asahakuryu (2-3). Abi henka. The henka itself did not appear designed to win but to get a left-hand grip on Asahakuryu’s belt. Then Abi pivoted and dragged Asahakuryu down with that belt grip, aided by his right hand on his opponent’s head, pressing down. Uwatedashinage.
Nishikifuji (4-1) defeated Mitakeumi (0-5). Mitakeumi charged ahead but Nishikifuji pivoted and yanked Mitakeumi over the bales. Uwatedashinage.
Asanoyama (3-2) defeated Chiyoshoma (1-4). Chiyoshoma lashed out with a brief nodowa and then pulled, which was a mistake. Asanoyama made quick work and happily forced him over the edge. Yorikiri.
Wakanosho (5-0) defeated Tobizaru (1-4). Tobizaru pulled early and shifted to the side, but Wakanosho put on the brakes quickly enough to avoid stepping out. Wakanosho then reacquired his target, drove forward and blasted Tobizaru from the ring. Tsukidashi.
Roga (2-3) defeated Wakamotoharu (2-3). Wakamotoharu deployed his usual tawara-twisting throw attempt but Roga had read the brief, kept Wakamotoharu centered, and drove through him. Yoritaoshi.
Takayasu (4-1) defeated Fujiryoga (3-2). Fujiryoga was not intimidated and fought well against Takayasu as the two traded tsuppari and head butts. Takayasu dramatically spun away to his left and slapped Fujiryoga down as the latter re-engaged. Hatakikomi.
Shodai (2-3) defeated Fujiseiun (2-3). Shodai pivoted at the bales and dragged Fujiseiun down. Hikiotoshi.
Halftime
Kotoeiho (4-1) defeated Oshoma (1-4). Kotoeiho used his left-hand inside, right hand outside grip to steer Oshoma to the edge and force him over. Yorikiri.
Daieisho defeated Ichiyamamoto. Daieisho’s pull forced Ichiyamamoto to the edge and off-balance. Daieisho then squared up and shoved Ichiyamamoto out of the ring. Oshidashi.
Hakunofuji (4-1) defeated Ura (1-4). Hakunofuji got both hands inside and charged to the edge. Ura tried to pivot but Hakunofuji kept Ura in front of him and crushed him out. Sukuinage.
Sanyaku
Yoshinofuji (3-2) defeated Oho (1-4). Yoshinofuji let Oho lead as they waltzed to the edge. Oho tired quickly, though, and let Yoshinofuji take over. Yoshinofuji pulled up with both hands squarely on Oho’s belt and drove him out. Oho gave his best Shodai impression at the edge, which means he tried to twist but lost. He was more Shodai today than Shodai, himself, was. Yorikiri.
Takanosho (1-4) defeated Atamifuji (3-2). Takanosho has that disruptive ability if he can stay up and in. After trading nodowa and tsuppari, Takanosho had shoved Atamifuji to the edge. Atamifuji then pulled when he had no room left and Takanosho shoved him out. Oshidashi.
Fujinokawa (3-2) defeated Kotoshoho (3-2). Henka! Fujinokawa leapt to the left. Kotoshoho was caught completely off guard and flopped forward. Tsukiotoshi.
Aonishiki (4-1) defeated Kotozakura (3-2). Kotozakura pulled and tried to slap Aonishiki down. Aonishiki braced himself with his right hand inside and drove forward, forcing Kotozakura out. Yorikiri.
Hiradoumi (1-4) defeated Kirishima (4-1). Kirishima was committed to the slapdown but Hiradoumi did well to stay upright and force Kirishima out. Oshidashi.
Onosato (2-3) defeated Churanoumi (1-4). Onosato charged ahead as Churanoumi shifted left and tried to pull on Onosato’s right arm. Importantly, Onosato did not move in reverse! Instead, he pressed forward and shoved Churanoumi out. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and the crowd gave Onosato a solid round of applause. Not a lot of hooting or hollering but I think folks were just happy the Yokozuna moved forward and won. Oshidashi.
Hoshoryu (4-1) defeated Gonoyama (1-4). Hoshoryu pulled Gonoyama’s left arm and shoved him down as he ran past. Maybe this tactic would have been more effective against Aonishiki than the straight-forward slap-down attempt? Keep that arm off your belt by yanking on it? I guess anything’s possible. Tottari.
Wrap-Up
Kirishima slipped up today against Hiradoumi. The slapdown is a good strategy, on paper, against Hiradoumi. But today Hiradoumi kept his footing and Kirishima did not use any mis-direction or anything to throw him off. Trying a slapdown against Aonishiki, though, is a bit more of a gamble. He seems so solid with his footwork. He doesn’t really tend to get his mass out ahead of his feet, certainly not in the way that Kotozakura tends to get his (m)ass moving backward and off of the dohyo.
Lots of big match-ups tomorrow. Hoshoryu will fight Hakunofuji. Onosato will fight Hiradoumi. Not easy bouts for the Yokozuna-tachi, that’s for sure. Kirishima will fight Yoshinofuji and Kotozakura will fight himself and Gonoyama. Atamifuji is up against Fujinokawa, Kotoshoho will square off against Takanosho and Aonishiki will fight Oho.
Among the rank-and-file, Ura versus Kotoeiho will be interesting and undefeated Wakanosho will fight Fujiryoga. Shishi will take on Asakoryu. Will Onokatsu show up? I’ve got my eye on a few guys for possible kyujo and he’s at the top of my list.
おやすみなさい。
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Takayasu with the double-twirl for the win. He’s managing to get away with it, but only because his execution is lightning quick.
Kirishima: sloppy today. Maybe over confidence?
Hoshoryu: A master technician.
I don’t think I’ve seen ice skaters spin as fast as Takayasu did today. I think he even kind of amazed himself. He’s in that Hoshoryu find-a-way-to-win headspace.
This is the second time he’s done that this tourney, and he spun completely around trying to escape unsuccessfully last basho as well i think at least a couple times. I’m calling him the Whirling Dervish from now on.
Kirishima lost the tachiai. According to Chiyonofuji, that is a no no.
Aonishiki obviously injured, but all the same (mostly) winning so far.
He‘s now at the point from where a majority of wins in the remaining bouts would bring him back to ozeki. But that’s still a very long way to go. And tomorrow he is the outsider because against Oho he is even healthy only 3:3 in their head-to-head.
But Oho isnt 100% this basho, too.
With Oho, that doesn’t mean much, he can show ozeki quality bouts anytime, only not on a regular basis. But Andy didn’t call him „your favorite spoil sport“ without reason.
I do have a biased opinion and it’s that Nabatame and Mita are both a question of when not if they return to juryo.
And I’m really glad to see the forward moving sumo out of Onosato again.
This is shaping up as an intriguing yusho race .. lots of strong young rikishi challenging the experienced ones up and down the banzuke ..
Abe is the rikishi most likely to succeed as a matador .. he has the pose of leaning + pivoting over the horns of the charging bull down better than anyone ..
Papayasu is studying matadors best known for turning their backs to the bull ..
Shodai is the rikishi least likely to have a hair out of place after his match ..
Fujinokawa has the best poker face .. one never knows what card he has up his sleeves .. except he always tries to play one ..
Whomever encouraged Kirishima going into that match w a “pull” strategy .. should be canned .. unless he’s going full henka, he has to match Hiradoumi’s tacheii .. or else blood is in the water ..
Takayasu and Daieisho are the rikishi least likely to use “funny business” in their strategy .. Papa can look squirrelly at times but he always matches intensity w intensity ..
I think my favorite part of this basho so far is (most) everybody using Oshoma as a cash cow to line their own pockets with his kensho. But seeing both the young and old cohort being on the leaderboard is also entertaining. Got a gut feeling that says Kotoeiho will follow in his brother’s footsteps from last year and take the yusho in Nagoya. It just feels like a tournament where all the sanyaku are gonna tear each other to shreds with how competitive/desperate they all are.
I am surprised Henka is not tried more often. Lots
of times it wins at once and if it fails it seems to only
give a small disadvantage. Perhaps its disreputable
reputation is a deterrent.
Looking forward to Kotozakura “fighting himself and Gonoyama”. Could be a three way tie.
Ah Kirishima, I was near to facepalm! The old scourge of underrating a maegashira opponent whom he had continuously beaten all the way before. You can‘t afford that already on Day 5! Congrats to Hiradoumi, it was a badly needed win though…
Found my joy in Juryo today. As an Asasuiryu fan since he first started at Ms60 I was paid off again by his brillant workout against strong and genki Dewanoryu. He crowned it with a katasukashi, left me with a big smile!